§ Mr. O'Connellmoved for a return of the produce of the Excise Duty on Leather, from the 1st of January, 1829, to the 1st of January, 1830—of the number and amount of penalties levied, and of the costs incurred thereby—of the expenses of collecting the duties on Leather—and of the number and nature of the oaths taken by manufacturers of Leather.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerobserved, that with respect to the Oaths, they were imposed by Acts of Parliament, and could be easily ascertained, without the cost and trouble which must attend a return.
§ Mr. O'Connellsaid, that as he meant to bring the subject before the House, and as the Oaths were so numerous, he was not inclined to trust to any return of his own, because he would have no dispute upon facts. It would be very troublesome for gentlemen to look through all the Acts, and more troublesome to ascertain how many of those Acts had been repealed.
§ Mr. O'Connellmoved for similar returns respecting the Excise Duties on Paper.